Coffee-pot.



PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905.

T. B. FERGUSON.

COFFEE POT. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 20.1904.

Aztomey [NVENTOR M 4? E BY 3 SHEETS--SHEBT 1.

No. 782,956. PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905. T. B. FERGUSON.

COFFEE POT.

APPLIQATION FILED 001. 20.1904,

' WITNES 5.- [NVENTOR 38HEETSSIIEET 2. I

No. 782,956. PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905. T. B. FERGUSON.

COFFEE POT.

APPLIOATION FILED 001. 20,1904.

3 SHEETS-$111121 3.

Patented February 21, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COFFEE-POT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,956, dated February21, 1905. Application filed October 20,1904. Serial No- 229,259.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. FERGUSON, of WVashington city, in theDistrict of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Cofiee-Pots, of which the following is a specification.

My improvements are directed to that kind of a drip-coffee pot in whichthe pot proper is associated with a removable and reversible biggin inwhich the coffee is made and from which it is strained into the pot. Thebiggin has preferably a broad large bottom, which affords an extendedheating-surface in the cooking, and a comparatively contracted neck towhich the straining-cloth is applied, so formed as to fit quite looselythe top of the coffee-pot. The narrowing of the neck results in forminga chamber of small diameter as compared with the body of the biggin, butof considerable depth, in which when the biggin is reversed after thecooking operation the ground coffee will be assembled and concentratedas a filter-bed of considerable thickness through which the liquid mustpass before it can reach the strainer. This is the preferred form ofbiggin; but other forms may be used, if desired. The strainer itself isa straining-cloth which covers the open mouth of the biggin and extendsloosely down upon the exterior of the neck of the biggin, where it canbe secured, as indicated in my Patent No. 748,491, of December 29, 1903,or in any other suitable way. The cloth which thus surrounds theexterior of the neck of the biggin serves as a straining-surface, justas does that portion of the cloth which extends over the mouth of thebiggin, the fit between the pot and biggin being so loose that theportion of the straining-cloth which comes between them is under nomaterial compression and the cloth itself making a loose fit around theneck. The straining-surface is thus very much increased, so thattheliquid which passes slowlythrough the ground coffee will pass rapidlythrough the cloth into the pot below. By thus increasing the area of thestraining-surface finer material or material of finer mesh can be usedwithout diminishing the flow of filtered liquid and with better and moreperfect filtration.

I provide, as in my prior patent hereinbefore referred to, an air-pipeentering the biggin at or near the end opposite to that end throughwhich the liquid is strained or filtered. The pipe in my presentconstruction extends toward the other end of the biggin to a heightwhich will bring its open end (which opens to the external air) abovethe level of the liquid in the biggin when the latter is mouth uppermostand is preferably closed by a screw-cap which can be removed or movedmore or less to admit air above the body of liquid in the reversedbiggin when it is desired to let the liquid filter through the coffee. 1also employ another air-pipe, which opens into the biggin at or near itsneck or open end and extends thence to or nearly to the bottom of thebiggin, where it opens into the external air. I remark that this pipe(marked F in the drawings hereinafter referred to) can be used to theexclusion of the other one first abovenamed, (marked D in thedrawingsx)It can be used when the biggin is inverted as a duct through which toadd to the contents of the biggin, and the water thus added will, owingto the proximity of the inner end of the pipe to the neck of the biggin,be discharged as a stream upon the mass of coffee-grounds in the neck,thus preventing it from packing. At the same time it can be used toadmit air to the interior of the reversed biggin above the liquid,inasmuch as the air, by reason of the superior external pressure, willbe forced down through the pipe (if the latter be open at its outer end)into the liquid contents of the biggin, up through which it will pass. Ican conveniently form one or both of these channels in the handle orhandles with which the biggin may be provided.

In the accompanying drawings, to which I shall now refer for a betterunderstanding of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the twoparts of which my drip-coffee pot is composed, together with the funnelused for the purpose of adding to the contents of the biggin. Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the pot in the position it occupies when heat isapplied to it. Fig. 3 is a like view of the same, partly in section, inthe position it occupies when inverted. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectiondiametrically through the pot with the parts in the position shown inFig. 2. ig. 5 .is a side elevation, partly in section, of a modificationin which the biggin is provided with one handle only. Fig. 6 is asection of the casting containing the two air pipes or channels on theline .6 6, Figs. 5 and 7. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the casting inwhich the two air-channels are formed and to which the biggin-handle issecured. Fig. 8 is a section of the casting, together with a portion ofthe adjacent wall of the biggin, on line 8 8, Fig. 7.

A is the biggin, and B is the pot.

A is the contracted neck of the biggin, which fits loosely into themouth of the coffeepot B, as seen more particularly in Fig. 4, therebeing an annular gutter 6 around the top of the mouth of the pot tocatch any leak or drip which might otherwise escape.

a C is the straining-cloth. 1n the neck of the biggin is an annularexternal groove (1., into which enters the cord or other fastener bywhich the straining-cloth is held in place over the mouth and around thesides of the neck of the biggin.

D is the air-pipe hereinbefore referred to, (conveniently formed in oneof the bigginhandles, E, opening at its inner endinto the biggin at ornear its bottom, as shown clearly in Fig. 4:, and extending thenceupward until its outer end is above the normal level of the liquid inthe biggin when the latter is in the position. shown in Figs. 2 and 4.The outer end of the air-pipe D is closed by a screw-cap (Z, having avent (l, which when the cap is partly unscrewed will be put incommunication with the interior of the pipe, and thus allow air to enterit. hen the biggin is in the position shown in Figs. 2 and a, the pipe Dcan be used as a channel through which to add to the contents of thebiggin; but it will be found quite as convenient to remove thecoifee-pot and the strainer and to pour the liquid into the open mouthof the biggin. F is an air-pipe (conveniently formed in the otherbiggin-handle, G) opening at its inner end into the body of the bigginat a point adjacent to the junction of the body with the neck and thenceextending outwardly toward the other end or bottom of the biggin, asseen in Fig. 4. The pipe communicates with what is the top of the bigginwhen the coffee is being cooked, and its outer end (which need not beclosed) can be conveniently armed with a whistle W, which will be blownby the escaping steam when the coffee is at or near a boil. The whistleis detachable, being in this instance screwed upon the outer end of thevent-pipe F. \Vhenever it is desired to add to the contents of thebiggin when it is bottom upward-that is to say, in the position shown inFig. 3 all that is needed is to unscrew and take off the whistle and toapply to the outer end of the vent-pipe F the i funnel X, into which thewater or other material to be added can conveniently be poured.

To use the coffee-pot, the biggin in the position shown in Figs. 2 and4: is supplied through its open neck.with a suitable charge of coffeeand water. The straining-cloth is then applied over the mouth and aroundthe neck of the biggin and is secured in that position. The coffee-potinverted is put over the neck of the biggin and then the device is setupon a stove or put over a lamp until the coffee is made, the air-pipe Dduring this operation being closed by the screw-cap (Z. After the coffeeis made the parts are inverted, so as to bring the bottom uppermost andneck downward, with the coffee-pot below, as in Fig. 3. In this positionthe ground coffee will settle into the neck of the biggin and form a bedthrough which the liquid must pass before it can escape into the pot. Solong as the cap (Z is closed little or no liquid will pass down into thepot, owing to the superior air-pressure from below the strainingcloth;but as soon as the cap is moved so as to admit air into the pipe D thecoffee will at once drip through the cloth with a rapidity that can beregulated by adjusting the cap to admit more or less air, as desired.

It is to be remarked that to retain the coffee in the biggin when thelatter is in the position shown in Fig. 3 the whistle 7 should beremoved from the pipe F and the open end of that pipe should be closedby a cork or other stopper before the biggin is turned bottom upward.

By the employment of pipes thus arranged I am enabled to dispense withall ground valves and joints without impairing the efiiciency of theparts. Should any liquid be in the pipe D when the biggin isinverted,(as in Fig. 3,) so as to bring the outer end of that pipelowermost, the moment the cap (Z is opened the inrush of air through thepipe to what is then the top of the biggin will carry the liquid with itback into the pot.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 to 8 the biggin has but one handle,(marked Y,) which is inserted and held in the socket H of a castingH.which is welded, soldered, brazed, or otherwise suitably secured toone side of the biggin and is formed with channels D F, corresponding,respectively, to the pipes D F of Figs. 1 to 4 and occupying the samerelation to the biggin as the two pipes last named. The channel D opensinto the socket H and communicates with a pipe D which passes axiallythrough the handle Y and has on its outer open end a vent-cap (7!,similar in function and operation to the like lettered cap in Figsl to4. The channel F(correspond ing to the vent-pipe F, Figs. 1 and at) doesnot enter the handle, but is confined to the casting to which the handleis secured. The outer end of this channel, as shown in Fig.

8, is somewhat enlarged and internally tapering, so as to permit awhistle or a stopper to be jammed into it; but the whistle or stoppercan be applied to it, if applied at all, in any other suitable way. Bythus concentrating both air-channels in a single casting I am enabled tocheapen and simplify the construction and to conveniently use but onehandle on the biggin.

Having described my improvements and the best way now known to me ofcarrying the same into practical effect, I state, in conclusion, that Ido not restrict myself narrowly to the structural details hereinbeforedescribed and illustrated, since manifestly the same can be variedconsiderably without departure from the spirit of the invention; but

hat I claim herein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is asfollows:

1. In a drip-coffee pot a reversible biggin having a broad bottom andbodyin which the coffee is cooked, and a narrow comparatively long neckin which, when the biggin is turned bottom side up, the ground coffee isassembled and concentrated, a strainer covering the mouth and extendingthence around and secured upon the sides of the neck, and a pot properinto which the cofiee is strained from the biggin, having a neck ormouth in which the neck of the biggin is received and loosely fits,whereby the portion of the strainer which extends upon the sides, aswell as that which covers the mouth, of the neck, is utilized forstraining, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

2. In a drip-coffee pot of the kind described, a reversible biggin incombination with an airpipe which at one end opens into the biggin at ornear the neck or open end thereof and thence extends to or nearly to thebottom of the biggin where it opens into the external air, substantiallyas and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

3'. In a drip-coffee pot of the kind described, and in combination, areversible biggin, an air-pipe opening into the biggin at or near itsbottom, and thence extending toward the mouth end of the biggin, and avent-pipe opening into the body of the biggin at or near its top andextending thence to or nearly to the opposite end or bottom of thebiggin, the outer open end of each pipe being external to the biggin,substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

4. In adrip-coffee pot of the kind described, a reversible biggin and acasting secured to said biggin containing two separate air-channelswhich at their inner ends communicate with opposite ends of the interiorof the biggin, and thence extends to or nearly to the end of the biggin,opposite that which they respectively enter and having their outer endsexternal to the biggin, substantiallyas hereinbefore described andillustrated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E. FERGUSON.

Witnesses:

W. LEE HELMS, GEO. W. REA.

